Field definition and scope:

Field 257 contains the name or abbreviation of the name of the country(s), area(s), etc. where the principal offices of the producing entity(s) of a resource are located.

The entity(s) in this instance is the production company(s) or individual that is named in the statement of responsibility (subfield $c) of field 245 (Title Statement).

The inclusion of countries, areas, etc. in this field does not express any opinion concerning the legal status of the entity.

The National level record requirement for this field is Mandatory if applicable.

Field 257 is repeatable.

Guidelines for applying content designators:

The data in this field is customarily entered as specified by various cataloging rules.  In records formulated following cataloging rules based on International Standard Bibliographic Description (ISBD) principles, a relationship exists between prescribed ISBD punctuation and the identification of specific subfield data.  AACR 2 formulated bibliographic records follow ISBD principles for description and punctuation.  Most of the examples in this section illustrate the prescribed ISBD punctuation associated with specific subfields.

For indicator and subfield code definitions and examples, National-level (NLR) and Minimal-level (MLR) record requirements, and designator repeatability, see table below:

Position

Description

NLR

MLR

Repeatability

Field 257

Country of Producing Entity

A

A

R

Indicator:

 

 

 

 

First

Undefined; contains a blank

M

 

 

Second

Undefined; contains a blank

M

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Subfield code:

 

 

 

 

$a

Country of producing entity

M

M

R

$0

Authority record control number or standard number

 

 

R

$1

Real World Object URI

 

 

R

$2

Source

A

A

NR

$6

Linkage

A

A

NR

$8

Field link and sequence number

O

O

R

Input conventions:

Punctuation

Content designator history:

Field 257 - Country of Producing Entity  [renamed, 2009]:  Prior to 2010, field 257 was named "Country of Producing Entity for Archival Films" and was not repeatable (NR).

Field 257 - Country of Producing Entity  [redescribed, 2017]:  Field definition was broadened to allow for the recording of areas often treated as countries that are not legally recognized as countries.

Subfield $a - Country of producing entity  [renamed, 2009]:  Prior to 2010, subfield $a was named "Country of producing entity for archival films" and was not repeatable (NR).

Subfield $a - Country of producing entity  [redescribed, 2017]:   Subfield definition was broadened to allow for the recording of areas often treated as countries that are not legally recognized as countries.

Subfield $0 - Authority record control number or standard number  [new, 2016]

Subfield $1 - Real World Object URI  [new, 2017]

Subfield $2 - Source  [new, 2009]

Related MARC field or document:

Source Codes for Vocabularies, Rules, and Schemes:

Subject Heading and Term Source Codes

See also:

25X-29X  Edition, Imprint, Etc. Fields

Variable Data Fields